F1 News: Sergio Perez Retires Twice - This Is Why
In a series of unforeseen events at the Japanese Grand Prix, Sergio Perez retired not once, but twice, during the race. His performance at Suzuka witnessed a series of unfortunate incidents, from initial contact to successive pit stops.
Key Takeaways:
- Sergio Perez faced a challenging race, initially colliding with Lewis Hamilton and necessitating an early pit stop for a front wing change.
- Additional collisions, particularly with Kevin Magnussen, forced Perez back into the pits. Later on, Perez expressed concerns over the car's condition.
- Red Bull's strategy saw Perez returning to the race to serve a penalty, only to retire for a second time shortly after.
Sergio Perez's participation in the F1 Japanese Grand Prix was nothing short of dramatic. The Red Bull racer's day began on a sour note as he made contact with Mercedes' star driver, Lewis Hamilton, on the very first lap. This collision necessitated an unplanned pit stop for Perez to facilitate a front wing change.
However, the troubles didn't end there. Perez faced another setback when he was penalised with a five-second time delay due to an infringement under the Safety Car as he navigated into the pit lane.
As Perez attempted to regain ground, an aggressive move saw him clashing with Haas's Kevin Magnussen. "It was a late lunge," many commented as the incident at Turn 9 sent Magnussen spinning. This led to further damage to Perez's Red Bull, compelling him to make yet another pit stop, this time for a nose change.
Perez's frustrations were evident when he communicated to his team, saying, "The car doesn’t feel right." The immediate response from his team was decisive: "Retire the car" on Lap 15.
However, in a strategic move by Red Bull, Sergio Perez was ushered back onto the track on Lap 40. The decision aimed to ensure that Perez served his previously acquired five-second time penalty, eliminating the risk of the penalty spilling over into the forthcoming Qatar race.
Having complied with the penalty, by Lap 43, Perez received instructions from his team for the second time that day: retire the car.
While it doesn't feel like a move like this should be allowed, it is completely within the rules of the FIA. But with many fans complaining about the logic behind this, it could be that the governing body will look into this specific loop hole.